The Sugarloaf Backside Snowfields vs. The Slides at Whiteface

[Greg]

This should be interesting. I've never had the pleasure of skiing either. Feel free to discuss. It would be interesting to hear from someone that has skied both.

 

[AdironRider]

Slides are epic, you really need to experience them to understand. Nothing compares here on the east. Snowfields look good, but the Slides is a huge area, with easily 1000+ vertical.

 

[riverc0il]

Slides are epic, you really need to experience them to understand. Nothing compares here on the east.

how do they compare to the snow fields and gullies of mount washington?

 

[loafer89]

The snowfields at Sugarloaf was the most fun and intense skiing I have done in the east except for Tuckermans, but I have not skied the slides at Whiteface, so I cannot rate it against Sugarloaf.

 

[riverc0il]

The snowfields at Sugarloaf was the most fun and intense skiing I have done in the east except for Tuckermans, but I have not skied the slides at Whiteface, so I cannot rate it against Sugarloaf.

i have a sneaking suspiscion that not many folks around have skied both the slides and the snowfields at the loaf. it would be interesting to get an opinion from someone that has skied both. i would also like to hear how both relate to the skiing on mount washington.

 

[awf170]

i have a sneaking suspiscion that not many folks around have skied both the slides and the snowfields at the loaf. it would be interesting to get an opinion from someone that has skied both. i would also like to hear how both relate to the skiing on mount washington.

After skiing Tucks friday and having skied everything on the snowfields at the loaf it is no comparison at all. The snowfields are a total joke compared to anything on Mt. Washington.

 

[AdironRider]

I was refering to lift served terrain.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Slides are epic, you really need to experience them to understand. Nothing compares here on the east. Snowfields look good, but the Slides is a huge area, with easily 1000+ vertical.

You speak with straight tounge Adrion. Actually the Slides are 1,800 feet of vert. Granted you have to hike up about 300 to 400 feet to get it all.

I've never been to Sugarloaf , but I've heard the Snowfirlds are about 500 ft. of vert.

Seeing as how neither is open alot (Slides 10 days this season) finding someone who has done both is going to be a tough daily double to hit.

 

[AdironRider]

I was guessing completely off the top of my head but I knew it was something huge. With sugarloaf so far from me it will be a while before I get to sample the snowfields unless Im extremely lucky, but I just cant see how they could match up.

 

[loafer89]

When there is alot of snow in the snowfields (not very often) most of the trees are buried and it's like skiing a steep open meadow, this may make the experience different from Whiteface?? I have only skied the backside twice, in 1996 and 1997 when there was a ton of snow at the summit. During my last few visits the backside has not been legally opened and Sugarloaf did not get the big dumps during the season to fully open them up.

 

[salida]

I skied the backside on March 4th, it was not officially open, however it was after a week of 18 or so inches of snow. We traversed across the front face, on sheer blue ice, self arresting would have been impossible and a fall would have resulted in a tumble down onto a taulus slope, good thing we didnt fall. Eventually, we made it over to the backside, to find 1000 plus vertical feet of above treeline chutes and snowfields. The top was waist deep wind buff, in a snow field type scene, 30 or so degrees. The bottom 600 feet was a bunch of rock lined chutes (we skied ball and chain for anyone who knows other names of off skied trails). We then had to traverse/hike a bit to ski the woods on the ridge of "burnt hill" to ski glades back into the ski area.

It was the "most" technical line I have skied on the east coast, much more difficult than many variations in Tucks, or the face at jay, or tramline at cannon (and roughly the same steepness, just much tighter and much less room for error). I would not suggest going back there unless we either have a ton of snow, like this year, or are comfortable enough with your skills that you could get yourself out of trouble in alpine zone skiing.

by the way, it was one of the sickest runs of the season...

 

[loafer89]

I only remember skiing Jagger and Pure Heat, but the area beyond that looked inceasingly steep and rocky. When I first skied there in 1996, there was better than 10'+ of base so most of the rocks/trees in the inbounds areas where covered.

That was the best lift serviced skiing I ever did in the east, and a big reason why I fell in love with Sugarloaf. I wonder if the snowfields can open with this storm? Hopefully the loaf gets 2'+
of base building snow.

 

[Talisman]

I may be 'obvious man', but there is a major difference between skiing the 'front side' snow fields and the 'back side' snowfields on Sugar Loaf. I have skied the front side snow fields at Sugar Loaf and they don't really stack up well with the 'Slides' at White Face. I seem to recall Jagger and Pure Heat have snow making. The back side is another story as I have never had the pleasure. The White Face slides and Sugar Loaf snow fields seem to be rarely epic and usually when I'm not around.

Great debate.

 

[loafer89]

I may be 'obvious man', but there is a major difference between skiing the 'front side' snow fields and the 'back side' snowfields on Sugar Loaf. I have skied the front side snow fields at Sugar Loaf and they don't really stack up well with the 'Slides' at White Face. I seem to recall Jagger and Pure Heat have snow making. The back side is another story as I have never had the pleasure. The White Face slides and Sugar Loaf snow fields seem to be rarely epic and usually when I'm not around.

Great debate.

Only White Nitro and Upper Gondola Line have snowmaking, the rest is all natural skiing.

 

[Buckeye Skier 1330]

I haven't skied either one, but got to look them both over. The Slides looked very extreme, steep, skinny and long. I wouldn't have skied them if they were open. I felt like they would be too much for my ability. They offer a breathtaking view riding up the summit lift.
I only got to look at the Snowfields from below, and didn't see the Backside. The summit lift was on wind hold the whole day I was at the Loaf. Although they looked pretty steep they looked nowhere near as intimidating as the Slides. I would have given them a shot if the lift would have been running.

 

[Greg]

Interestingly enough, both opened this weekend...

 

[kcyanks1]

Interestingly enough, both opened this weekend...

Slides opened this weekend even with this storm? Wow.

 

[kcyanks1]

I've skied the Slides but have never been to the Loaf. I only did Slide 1 which I think is the easiest, so I have to get back out there and try the others. The only thing that might resemble it that I've done out east is The Chin at Stowe (I also did the easier route off there--Profanity), but the Slides are open for far more vert (at least I ended up in the trees pretty quickly at Stowe). The Slides were probably steeper too, but I wouldn't consider the route I took exceptionally steep by any means.

I should add: It was a fantastic experience, certainly worth the hike, and I'd love to have the change to do it again.

 

[tjf67]

I have been to the loaf twice and both times the snow fields were open. I skied them. As soon as you are in them you have to start heading skiers left to get out of them. Went down through he woods and ended up at the bottom of Nitro? . THey were a lot of fun but the size of the them pales in comparison
The slides I have not been able to get down any of them in one shot. Its a lot of vert with an average pitch of 38 degrees. Lots of mandatory drops and a waterfall to negotiate. The waterfall this weekend was great. Its pretty long stretch about 200 yard of just picking your way around and small drops. Very techincal, bad place to fall.


THe slides are off the summit of Whiteface. Grant you the face is 4500 feet up and Mt Washington is 5000+ but it is the exact same skiing with out the hike. Knarly bush wacking steep sustained drops and lots of powder, well in theory.

 

[tjf67]

Slides opened this weekend even with this storm? Wow.

They shut them down early Sunday. It was socked in with Fog and it was a blizzard. If you fell and got hurt you would not be found till the spring thaw. Oh yeah it is spring. The summer thaw